The Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core, which had its origin in 1977, has greafiy facilitated the research of Diabetes Research Center affiliates in the Seatfie area by keeping pace with and pioneering new methodological and technical advances in histochemistry, microscopic imaging and image analysis. The core will continue to promote the research of these invesfigators during the next funding cycle by: (1) Providing state-of-the-art facilifies and technical assistance for morphological and histochemical analyses; (2) Developing histochemical and quanfitative morphological methods and protocols; (3) Providing consultafion to affiliates, their postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and research personnel in the design and interpretation of morphological-based protocols for their diabetes-related research; (4) Providing hands-on and didacfic training to affiliates, their trainees and personnel in roufine and highly specialized morphological, histochemical, and imaging techniques; and (5) Providing access to comparative pathologists to assist with interpretafion of histopathology and data collected from animal models. By achieving these five goals, the Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core will support the scientific invesfigafion of affiliate invesfigators who will use the core to further our understanding of diabetes, obesity and related disorders. RELEVANCE